Application
Technical staff who upgrade systems and equipment in customer networks and core and access networks apply the skills and knowledge in this unit. They are involved in maintenance, upgrades and cut overs of emerging technologies in IP based telecommunications networks. Relevant jobs roles include a supervisor in charge of installation and maintenance teams responsible for the new installations and upgrades of telecommunications networks. |
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
1. Prepare for the upgrade activity | 1.1. Obtain relevant legislation, codes, regulations and standards for compliance when conducting work 1.2. Notify customer for site access, security arrangements and location details of equipment for upgrade 1.3. Identify site hazards and notify appropriate personnel to make site safe 1.4. Prepare an upgrade plan against work order and seek approval from customer 1.5. Organise system back up from support personnel 1.6. Obtain tools and test equipment and check for accuracy and safety 1.7. Allocate specific tasks according to the skill mix of staff involved 1.8. Run test plan on current equipment and identify and rectify problems in consultation with planners 1.9. Complete functional testing of new systems and equipment prior to upgrade to minimise system downtime 1.10. Analyse test results to predict compatibility and interoperability issues of equipment and systems prior to the upgrade work |
2. Undertake upgrade | 2.1. Implement upgrade according to design specification following occupational health and safety (OHS) and environmental requirements 2.2. Follow procedures for upgrade of network in sequential order as defined in instruction manuals 2.3. Monitor progress of upgrade periodically to ensure that plans in relation to time and duration are being met 2.4. Notify planner of problems encountered with detail as to the impact of the problem on the upgrade plan 2.5. Abort upgrade and implement contingency plan should an upgrade plan not be realised without major disruption to network 2.6. Monitor system response during upgrade and take action according to instructions provided |
3. Test upgrade for acceptance | 3.1. Undertake tests according to the predetermined test plan 3.2. Analyse test results and verify against specified performance levels 3.3. Escalate problems encountered according to enterprise policy 3.4. Invoke reversion procedure to pre-upgrade state, if directed by planners, according to enterprise policy 3.5. Record upgrade test results and provide to network management group 3.6. Run post-upgrade routines according to documented procedures |
4. Monitor post-upgrade performance | 4.1. Conduct ongoing tests to ensure success of upgrade 4.2. Monitor relevant alarms to measure impact of upgrade 4.3. Review customer complaints to assess impact of upgrade on customer satisfaction |
5. Finalise administrative work and clean up worksite | 5.1. Complete relevant work documentation and administrative tasks according to enterprise policy 5.2. Amend site records to show upgraded equipment layout 5.3. Organise customer training in the new or modified system 5.4. Clean up and restore site to customer satisfaction 5.5. Collect and dispose of waste material and debris according to environmental requirements 5.6. Declare asset ready for use 5.7. Notify customer of upgrade job completion to obtain sign off of work order and present with a copy of documentation |
Required Skills
Required skills |
analytical skills to evaluate impact of upgrades on customer equipment and systems communication skills to: provide advice and guidance to others and to liaise with other technical staff on operational matters respond to customer complaints literacy skills to read and interpret: contingency plans enterprise procedures, manuals and specifications technical data, technical and non-technical information from a range of sources test results numeracy skills to interpret technical data PC skills to monitor installed software planning and organisational skills to plan and prioritise own work problem solving skills to: deal with unexpected situations on the basis of safety and specified work outcomes prepare upgrade plan troubleshoot common equipment and network problems safety awareness skills to: apply precautions and required action to minimise, control or eliminate hazards follow enterprise OHS procedures work systematically with required attention to detail without injury to self or others, or damage to goods or equipment technical skills to: analyse the impact of applications on traffic flow in the network determine customer requirements determine the impact of upgrading hardware and software on network functionality identify the technical requirements, constraints and manageability issues for a given customer network requirement implement upgrade of equipment and software use test equipment and monitoring tools use tools and equipment to assemble and disassemble equipment |
Required knowledge |
alarms backup systems upgrades and post-upgrade routines computer knowledge escalation and outage procedures network management systems overview knowledge of telecommunications networks and equipment telecommunications monitoring tools telecommunications test equipment and test set-ups telecommunications wiring practices |
Evidence Required
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package. | |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | Evidence of the ability to: analyse the implications of hardware and software upgrade on the remainder of the network plan and identify the components of the upgrade process prepare an upgrade plan and organise system backup run test plan and analyse test results implement upgrade and monitor progress of upgrade periodically using both vendor and enterprise specific monitoring tools implement contingency plan escalate problems encountered according to enterprise policy analyse alarms and alarm conditions review customer complaints to assess impact of upgrade. |
Context of, and specific resources for assessment | Assessment must ensure: site where upgrade may be conducted use of equipment, software, test and monitoring equipment currently used in industry relevant regulatory, equipment, enterprise and vendor documentation that impacts on work activities. |
Methods of assessment | A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit: direct observation of the candidate performing upgrade direct observation of the candidate performing tests and monitoring alarms review of documents prepared by the candidate providing upgrade plan and assessing impact of upgrade taking into consideration customer feedback oral or written questioning to assess knowledge of upgrade, testing and monitoring procedures. |
Guidance information for assessment | Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplaces and job role is recommended, for example: ICTTEN4073A Cut over customer premises equipment major upgrades ICTTEN4086A Undertake routine maintenance of the telecommunications network. Aboriginal people and other people from a non-English speaking background may have second language issues. Access must be provided to appropriate learning and assessment support when required. Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate, and appropriate to the oral communication skill level, and language and literacy capacity of the candidate and the work being performed. In all cases where practical assessment is used it will be combined with targeted questioning to assess required knowledge. Questioning techniques should not require language, literacy and numeracy skills beyond those required in this unit of competency. Where applicable, physical resources should include equipment modified for people with special needs. |
Range Statement
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included. | |
Relevant legislation, codes, regulations and standards may include: | Australian Construction Industry Forum (ACIF) standards and codes AS Communications Cabling Manual (CCM) AS/NZS 3000:2007 AS/NZS 3080:2003 AS/NZS 3084:2003 AS/NZS 3085.1:2004 AS/NZS IEC 61935.1:2006 AS/NZS IEC 61935.2:2006 AS/NZS ISO/IEC 14763.3:2007 AS/NZS ISO/IEC 15018:2005 AS/NZS ISO/IEC 24702:2007 cabling security codes and regulations Environmental Protection Acts OHS Acts technical standards AS/ACIF S008:2006 and AS/ACIF S009:2006. |
Customer may be: | asset manager contractor network planner nominated customer representative project manager service provider. |
Equipment may include: | Core and Access network: cellular mobile network dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) network gateway router IP-Core Network mesh network multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) router network server optical network satellite network switching equipment transmission equipment worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) network customer network: alarms systems IP private branch exchange (PBX) IP PBX server IP security systems Internet protocol TV (IPTV) LAN: data switch router server network management addition PBX session initiation protocol (SIP)-enabled UC system video conferencing equipment voice over internet protocol (VoIP) gateway WiMAX CPE. |
Upgrade may include: | network capacity upgrade network major software upgrade network services upgrade network technology upgrade system integration. |
Hazards may include: | building debris earth potential rise (EPR): event at a site, such as an electrical distribution substation, may expose telecommunications personnel, users or plant to hazardous voltages glass fibre live power lines manual handling mud and water natural gas and other gas build up optical fibre cable may contain hazardous light radio frequency (RF) equipment emitting radiation remote power feeding services which operate at above telecommunications network voltage (TNV) vermin. |
Upgrade plan may include: | access and security arrangements after hours access contingencies contingency plans customers communication priorities customers communications needs downtime installation of backup equipment provision of temporary services test plans testing procedures timing and disruption to services. |
Support personnel may include: | help desk IT support network operations support vendor backup. |
Test equipment may include: | communication testers frequency analysers microwave link analysers network analyser protocol analyser spectrum analysers traffic analyser transmission measuring sets. |
Test may include: | ability to make and receive a call configuration tests diagnostic tests programme checks routing tests software tests switching tests traffic measurement test transmission tests. |
Upgrade work may include: | commission of new system installation of new additional equipment installation of new software integration of new equipment into existing system provision of temporary service removal of redundant equipment test on new system. |
OHS and environmental requirements may relate to: | decommissioning and isolating worksite and lines prior to commencement identifying other services, including power and gas personal protective clothing: earmuffs gloves head protection kneepads masks protective suits safety boots safety glasses safe working practices, such as the safe use and handling of: asbestos chemicals materials tools and equipment work platforms special access requirements suitable light and ventilation environmental considerations: clean-up protection stormwater protection waste management. |
Progress of upgrade may include: | rate of deliverables against project timeline risk management timing. |
Contingency plan may: | be developed as part of the upgrade planning and design be escalated and referred to more specialist team invoke partial upgrade to be continued at later stage invoke reversion procedure to pre-update condition. |
Documentation may include: | configuration details implementation and testing procedures network impact statement software test results system updates test results and recommendations upgrade details vendor, equipment and enterprise specific details. |
Sectors
Unit sector | Telecommunications |
Competency Field
Telecommunications networks engineering |
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills. |
Licensing Information
Refer to Unit Descriptor